EXHIBIT
99.1
The
#1 Airborne Healthcare Company
Air
Methods Reports 2Q2008 Results and 3Q2008 Update
Fully-Diluted
Earnings Per-Share of $0.38 In Line with Previously Announced
Expectations
DENVER,
CO., August 7th, 2008 -- Air Methods Corporation (NasdaqGS: AIRM), the largest
air medical transportation company in the world, reported financial results for
the second quarter ended June 30, 2008 and provided an update on July 2008
flight volumes. For the quarter, revenue increased 41% to $128.0
million from $90.7 million in the prior-year quarter. For the
six-month period, revenue increased 43% to $246.1 million, compared with $172.2
million in the prior-year six-month period.
For the
quarter, net income decreased 38% to $4.8 million, or $0.38 per diluted share,
as compared with prior-year quarter net income of $7.8 million, or $0.63 per
diluted share. Net income for the six-month period was $7.2 million,
or $0.57 per diluted share, compared to $11.5 million, or $0.93 per diluted
share, for the prior-year six-month period.
As
previously announced, the decrease in net income was primarily attributed to
decreases in community-based patient transports as a result of increased weather
cancellations, and higher than anticipated fuel and maintenance
expenditures. Community-based patient transports for bases in
operation greater than one year (Same-Base Transports) decreased by 651
transports, while weather cancellations for these same bases increased by 459,
as compared with the prior-year quarter. Same-Base Transports and
weather cancellations exclude bases acquired from CJ Systems Aviation Group,
Inc. (CJ) effective October 1, 2007. Aircraft maintenance expense per
flight hour during the quarter, excluding aircraft acquired in the CJ
acquisition, increased 15% as compared with the prior-year quarter, resulting in
an increase of $1.7 million in maintenance expense based on actual flight volume
for the quarter. The actual increase in maintenance expense was
smaller than the previously announced increase of 21% as a result of final
quarter-end adjustments to preliminary calculations. Maintenance
expense per flight hour, excluding CJ aircraft, decreased 6% during the current
quarter as compared to the first quarter of 2008. As previously
reported, fuel expense per community-based patient transport increased 58% as
compared with the prior-year quarter, resulting in an increase of approximately
$1.8 million in fuel costs based on patients transported during the
quarter. The second quarter 2008 financial results also include
approximately $0.7 million in uninsured costs associated with recent accidents,
slightly higher than previously reported preliminary results.
The
current-year quarter and six-month period include approximately $1.1 million and
$2.2 million, respectively for the re-training of CJ pilots to transition
operations to a single Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operating
certificate. These costs include incremental compensation expense for
pilots and training personnel, in addition to hourly maintenance and fuel
expenses associated with incremental training flights. This
re-training process was completed at the end of the second quarter.
The
increase in revenue for the current-year quarter and six-month period is
primarily attributed to the acquisition of CJ. Excluding revenue
generated from operating bases added in the CJ acquisition, consolidated revenue
increased approximately 11% for the current-year quarter and six-month period as
compared with the prior year.
For the
second quarter, community-based revenue increased 26% to $77.7 million compared
to $61.8 million in the prior year, while segment net income decreased 22% to
$11.2 million from $14.3 million. Excluding CJ operating locations,
community-based revenue increased 7%. As previously reported, total
community-based patient transports were 11,635, as compared with 9,769 in the
prior-year quarter. Net revenue per community-based transport was
$6,727 for the current-year quarter, compared with $6,412 in the prior-year
quarter and $6,622 in the first quarter of 2008. Hospital-based
revenue increased 69% to $47.0 million compared to $27.9 million in the
prior-year period, while segment net income decreased slightly to $1.1 million
from $1.3 million. Excluding CJ operating locations, hospital-based
revenue increased 11%.
The decrease in segment net income for both divisions is attributed to
the factors discussed above.
The
Company also provided an update on July 2008 flight volume. Total
community-based transports were 3,832 during July 2008 compared with 3,495 in
July 2007. Same-Base Transports during the month of July decreased by
415 transports or 12% as compared with July 2007. The decrease in
transports was partially attributed to a 218 increase in weather cancellations
for bases in operation greater than one year and excluding bases acquired from
CJ. A small portion of the remaining decrease in Same-Base Transports
during the month is also attributed to fewer patients being transported from
auto accident scenes. The recent spike in fuel prices is believed to
have reduced discretionary travel, resulting in decreased demand for
service. Although scene flights typically represent only 40% of total
patient transports with the remaining 60% representing transports between
hospitals, almost 50% of the reduction in Same-Base Transports in July was
attributed to a decrease in scene flights.
Aaron
Todd, CEO, stated, “Weather has been more severe than the prior-year period in
every month in 2008 except January. This has had the most significant
impact on our year-over-year results due to the high fixed-cost nature of our
operating expenses. Recent spikes in fuel prices and higher than
anticipated maintenance expenditures have also impacted our
results. Despite these challenges, we remain optimistic for future
periods. Weather will eventually moderate. Fuel prices
have fallen significantly from their recent highs, while the cost of
consolidating FAA certificates is now behind us. In addition, we
continue to realize improvement in net reimbursement per transport from recent
price increases. We would anticipate a return to growth in profits as
these expectations become realized.”
The
Company will discuss these results in a conference call scheduled today at 4:15
p.m. Eastern. Interested parties can access the call by dialing (888)
396-5640 (domestic) or (706) 643-0580 (international) or by accessing the web
cast at www.airmethods.com. A
replay of the call will be available at (800) 642-1687 (domestic) or (706)
645-9291 (international), access number 55489810, for 3 days following the call
and the web cast can be accessed at www.airmethods.com
for 30 days.
Air Methods Corporation (http://www.airmethods.com) is a leader in emergency air medical
transportation and medical services. The Hospital Based Services Division is the
largest provider of air medical transport services for hospitals. The Community
Based Services Division is the largest community-based provider of air medical
services. The Products Division specializes in the design and manufacture of
aeromedical and aerospace technology. The Company's fleet of owned, leased or
maintained aircraft features over 330 helicopters and fixed wing
aircraft.

Forward Looking Statements:
This news release includes certain forward-looking statements, which are subject
to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from
those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, including but not
limited to the integration of CJ into our existing operations, the size,
structure and growth of the Company's air medical services and products markets;
the collection rates for patient transports; the continuation and/or renewal of
air medical service contracts; the acquisition of profitable Products Division
contracts and other flight service operations; the successful expansion of the
community-based operations; and other matters set forth in the Company's public
filings.
CONTACTS: Aaron D.
Todd, Chief Executive Officer, (303) 792-7413 or Trent Carman, Chief Financial
Officer, at (303) 792-7591. Please contact Christine Clarke at (303) 792-7579 to
be included on the Company’s fax and/or mailing list.
–
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ATTACHED –
AIR
METHODS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
(Amounts
in thousands)
|
|
|
June 30,
2008
|
|
|
December 31,
2007
|
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|
|
|
|
|
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|
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|
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|
ASSETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
|
$ |
9,574 |
|
|
|
5,134 |
|
|
Trade
receivables, net
|
|
|
136,042 |
|
|
|
135,633 |
|
|
Other
current assets
|
|
|
55,352 |
|
|
|
74,090 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
current assets
|
|
|
200,968 |
|
|
|
214,857 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
property and equipment
|
|
|
121,910 |
|
|
|
114,746 |
|
|
Other
assets, net
|
|
|
43,371 |
|
|
|
39,949 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
assets
|
|
$ |
366,249 |
|
|
|
369,552 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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LIABILITIES AND
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
|
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Current
liabilities:
|
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|
|
|
|
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|
Notes
payable related to assets held for sale
|
|
$ |
19,627 |
|
|
|
24,203 |
|
|
Current
portion of indebtedness
|
|
|
17,012 |
|
|
|
18,350 |
|
|
Accounts
payable, accrued expenses and other
|
|
|
56,897 |
|
|
|
59,546 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
current liabilities
|
|
|
93,536 |
|
|
|
102,099 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term
indebtedness
|
|
|
76,294 |
|
|
|
76,751 |
|
|
Other
non-current liabilities
|
|
|
45,556 |
|
|
|
48,682 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
liabilities
|
|
|
215,386 |
|
|
|
227,532 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
stockholders' equity
|
|
|
150,863 |
|
|
|
142,020 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
liabilities and stockholders' equity
|
|
$ |
366,249 |
|
|
|
369,552 |
|
AIR
METHODS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Amounts
in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
|
|
|
Three
Months Ended
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
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|
|
June
30,
|
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June
30,
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2008
|
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|
2007
|
|
|
2008
|
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|
2007
|
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Revenue:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flight
operations
|
|
$ |
124,746 |
|
|
|
89,695 |
|
|
|
239,219 |
|
|
|
168,856 |
|
|
Product
operations
|
|
|
3,213 |
|
|
|
1,038 |
|
|
|
6,839 |
|
|
|
3,335 |
|
|
Total
revenue
|
|
|
127,959 |
|
|
|
90,733 |
|
|
|
246,058 |
|
|
|
172,191 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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Expenses:
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Operating
expenses
|
|
|
97,496 |
|
|
|
61,068 |
|
|
|
190,783 |
|
|
|
119,409 |
|
|
Gain
on disposition of assets, net
|
|
|
(130 |
) |
|
|
(497 |
) |
|
|
(1,438 |
) |
|
|
(345 |
) |
|
General
and administrative
|
|
|
17,578 |
|
|
|
12,568 |
|
|
|
34,724 |
|
|
|
24,719 |
|
|
Depreciation
and amortization
|
|
|
4,202 |
|
|
|
3,479 |
|
|
|
8,300 |
|
|
|
6,890 |
|
|
|
|
|
119,146 |
|
|
|
76,618 |
|
|
|
232,369 |
|
|
|
150,673 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
income
|
|
|
8,813 |
|
|
|
14,115 |
|
|
|
13,689 |
|
|
|
21,518 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
expense
|
|
|
(1,106 |
) |
|
|
(1,318 |
) |
|
|
(2,673 |
) |
|
|
(2,740 |
) |
|
Other,
net
|
|
|
609 |
|
|
|
491 |
|
|
|
1,252 |
|
|
|
946 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income
before income taxes
|
|
|
8,316 |
|
|
|
13,288 |
|
|
|
12,268 |
|
|
|
19,724 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income
tax expense
|
|
|
(3,482 |
) |
|
|
(5,463 |
) |
|
|
(5,104 |
) |
|
|
(8,201 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income
|
|
$ |
4,834 |
|
|
|
7,825 |
|
|
|
7,164 |
|
|
|
11,523 |
|
|
|
|
|
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Income
per common share:
|
|
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$ |
0.40 |
|
|
|
0.66 |
|
|
|
0.59 |
|
|
|
0.97 |
|
|
Diluted
|
|
$ |
0.38 |
|
|
|
0.63 |
|
|
|
0.57 |
|
|
|
0.93 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
average common shares outstanding:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
12,181,790 |
|
|
|
11,886,613 |
|
|
|
12,166,566 |
|
|
|
11,881,751 |
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
12,608,043 |
|
|
|
12,431,098 |
|
|
|
12,617,804 |
|
|
|
12,382,830 |
|